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Brussels, 7 October 2026 – The European Credit Sector Associations (EACB, EBF, ESBG) welcome the announcement  of the creation of the European Network for Payments (ENP). The establishment of this new entity marks an important step towards inter-connecting European payment solutions operated by Bancomat, Bizum, EPI/Wero, SIBS–MB WAY and Vipps MobilePay. Together, these solutions serve approximately 130 million users across 13 European countries, providing significant scale from the outset.

The EACB welcomes the call for evidence on "Housing supply and affordability" and stresses that the persistent supply-demand gap, compounded by rising construction costs and higher interest rates, emphasises the urgency to reduce regulatory complexity. A key priority should be to streamline requirements, shorten planning and permitting procedures and lower unnecessary administrative and regulatory costs related to construction.

For another consecutive year, the European Association of Co-operative Banks (EACB), in collaboration with its Academic Advisory Group, is pleased to announce its competition for young researchers for best papers in the field of cooperative banking. The competition is open to young researchers aged 35 or under (meaning applicants should have been born on or after 1 January 1991). Co-authored papers are also welcome, provided that all authors meet the age requirement.

Brussels, 21 September 2026 – The European Association of Co-operative Banks (EACB) brought together the cooperative banking sector, the OECD and the European Commission for its latest event, “Closing the Financial Literacy Gap: The Cooperative Banking Contribution”. The webinar featured Andrea Beltramello, Head of Unit at the European Commission’s DG FISMA, and Chiara Monticone, Senior Policy Analyst at the OECD, alongside representatives from cooperative banks.

In its response to AMLA’s consultation on the draft Guidelines on ongoing monitoring of a business relationship under Article 26(5) of the AMLR, the EACB highlights both the positive aspects of the proposed approach and areas where further clarification would be beneficial. The draft Guidelines place emphasis on proportionality, technological neutrality and the risk-based approach.

The EACB welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the FATF consultation on the draft Guidance on Recommendation 16. Enhancing transparency throughout payment chains is a shared objective, and the draft Guidance provides useful clarifications on several key aspects of Recommendation 16. In particular, the introduction of the payment chain concept represents an important step forward in clarifying the respective responsibilities of the various actors involved in payment transactions.

The EACB welcomes the EBA’s efforts to simplify the Taxonomy Article 8 disclosure framework and calls for a stronger focus on materiality, proportionality and usability. The EACB supports removing the Fees and Commissions and Trading Book KPIs, considering them operationally burdensome, volatile and of limited relevance for assessing sustainable financing or capital allocation. We also support simplifying investment firms’ disclosures and favours an asset-based rather than revenue-based KPI.

The EACB welcomes the European Data Protection Board (EDPB)’s objective of promoting greater harmonisation, consistency and legal certainty across the European Economic Area in relation to personal data breach notifications under Articles 33 and 34 GDPR. At the same time, the EACB stresses the importance of ensuring that the draft template remains proportionate, practical and closely aligned with the GDPR framework.

The EACB welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the European Commission’s consultation on the draft Guidelines for the classification of high-risk AI systems under Art. 6 of the AI Act. The EACB supports the objective of providing greater legal certainty and practical guidance and welcomes the Commission’s efforts to accompany the Guidelines with practical examples.

On 29 June 2026, the European Banking Industry Committee (EBIC) held its 56th Plenary Meeting at the premises of the European Association of Co-operative Banks (EACB) in Brussels. Chaired by EACB CEO Nina Schindler, the meeting brought together representatives of the European banking industry to discuss key regulatory and policy developments affecting the sector. The central topic of the meeting was the European Commission’s work regarding the competitiveness of the EU banking sector.